2018 Emmy nominations predictions: Best drama supporting actor contenders

As the nominations period comes to an end, EW’s team of experts and critics have compiled a list of the top contenders for the 2018 Emmy Awards.

For more TV talk, check out EW critic Kristen Baldwin, editor at large Lynette Rice, and editor in chief Henry Goldblatt’s witty new podcast about the Emmy Awards, Chasing Emmy. (Subscribe now via Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts.)

He should have died. Coster-Waldau's Jaimie Lanister was already walking into a battle one-handed but add dragons into the mix and he was at a major disadvantage. Still — much to the glee of fans — Jaimie cheated death and lived to fight another day for his sister, his lover, his sister, his lover...

Dinklage's Tyrion Lannister is notorious for drinking and knowing things. Well, so is the EW staff, and we say that the actor's work on season 7 of his epic drama — as Tyrion finagled his way to the side of yet another powerful ruler — is more than worthy of Emmy attention.

In Handmaid’s second season, Fiennes makes Commander Waterford more unsettling — and dangerous — than ever before (and on this show, that’s saying something). The soft-spoken demeanor he keeps as he wields his Gilead-given power over the series' female characters makes him an especially chilling antagonist – one you desperately want to see brought down.

Harbour spent most of season 1 as the steeley local police chief hellbent on protecting his town. But in season 2 we got to see the softer side of Chief Jim Hopper as he became a much-needed father figure to Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown).

Hartley excelled in season 2 of his family drama as once-charmed Kevin descended into addiction and tore at seams never fully stitched after his father's death.

Last year, Patinkin recieved his thir nomination for playing CIA man Saul. This season, fans were enthralled watching his character put personal feelings aside (yet again) for the benefit of the country — plus he took on Russian medling in the American government, so hows that for a timely arc seven seasons in.